Kitchen knives

[Jaybo]

I am looking at buying some kitchen knives before Xmas and wanted to know what is really good. It doesn't matter if I have to save for them or even buy one or two at a time. I am looking at the sort of knives you would keep forever if possible. Thanks.

[Ron Davies]

I was in a high end restaurant kitchen this week and asked the head chef what he thought. He said if money is no problem you should go for Wusthof knives, which are made with high carbon bostered steel. They should last you a lifetme and expensive to go with it. Not sure on the current prices but he paid around £800.00 for a block and knife set.

Regards

[CookBoy]

I totally agree with Ron about Wusthof knives. The Wusthof Culinar Cooks Knives are forged from one piece of chromium-molybdenum steel, like Ron said has a high carbon content.

If possible and budget permitting your better off going for one piece knives as they are better balanced. This may not be much of a problem for home cooking, but makes it easier if you are using them a lot in a busy kitchen.

You should be able to get a basic 16cm blade for around £60.00 which is fairly reasonable. When you get up to the large meat range blades they can become very expensive. I have seen them in excess of £250.00 each.

You know what they say, if you want quality you have o expect to pay for it. Good thing with these knives is they can be bought on their own, a bit like a mechanic buying Snap On tools. See I do know about something other thn cooking!

[Hammy]

Blimey, £60 for 1 knife! I could buy a whole kitchen for that money.

[CookBoy]

Blimey, £60 for 1 knife! I could buy a whole kitchen for that money.

Chefs that use poor quality knives are more likely to spoil the food, work slow and surprising to cut themselves. Many a chef that has had an accident whilst using a knife has either used the wrong one for the job or it's just not sharp enough.

Anyway Hammy I am not coming to work for you if your whole kitchen is worth £60.00.

Remember buy quality and you won't have to buy again, unless someone nicks them.

[Inductionman]

The German knife manufactrurer Giesser are launching what I truly believe is the best forged knife in the world. It is coming into the country this month. The difference between this and existing forged knives is that it will have a 55% carbon content. Until this year it was impossible to forge Chrome Moly steel with this level of carbon but a new process in Germany, which Giesser are the only knife manufacturer to have access to, makes it possible. This high level of carbon will make the edge on a Gieser knife harder than its competitors.

[Inductionman]

You can spend £100,000 on a knife made by a japanese master knife maker who only makes a dozen knives per year.

[stevenjameschandler]

I used Victorinox knives during my time as a butcher, they have plastic handles, and don't last forever, but you have to look after them and keep them in check. I think they were about £11 each for a six inch boning knife (flat blade) and £24 for a 14" flat bladed steak knife. I had a professional steel- that is what you need. A high quality steel will be only £25.00 and used correctly you can put an edge on almost anything.

Please don't spend £800 on knives- you just need something reasonable and a good steel

[sheffy]

I have a Vitrinox knife which belonged to my father in law who was a butcher. It is brilliant, has a wooden handle and hardly ever needs sharpening. I take it to my butcher who sharpens it for me like a razor, could do it myself but he is so much better at it.
We have some Tramontina knives which are really, really good and are a discontinued line so a real bargain, but only if you are over 18!

[stevenjameschandler]

I had a mate who had a wooden handled knife- but they cannot be used in commercial kitchens for health reasons.

[sheffy]

No but fine at home. It is a really old one so I suppose when my father in law was working it was okay at that time.

[Jaybo]

I ended up getting a set of 6 Wusthof Culinar Cooks Knives from ebay for £150.00 What a bargain and were as new left over after a divorce.

[jennyhicks]

Global Knives are an extremely good brand which won't set you back too much. Had a search on the net and this place http://www.millyskitchenstore.co.uk/GLO ... -1324.html seems to have the best prices.

[bazza]

I am lucky enough to have a set of Global knives and I love them, they were a gift from my last boss. I wouldn't like to gues how much they cost but I will keep them for a very long time.

[Alliance]

We sell Global Knives - we're cheaper than Milly's too.

Gustav Emil Ern knives get some good reviews from people who buy them from us. I've heard a few chefs say they prefer to use them.